Ezra, the scribe, prays personally for his own sinfulness, but in the
context of the return of the people of Israel to their homeland and to the
holy site of the city of Jerusalem this prayer is a perfect “act of
contrition” on the part of the “remnant” of those returning home. His
prayer fits in with this season when Yom Kippur is celebrated after the
beginning of the new year Rosh ha Shannah. The prayer is magnificent in
its pathos and desire to return to the covenant of loving-kind that the
scribe and his people need for this new beginning. Hope returns to Israel
through this prayer which expresses their sorrow at having turned away from
God. Ezra is a pastor and a spiritual leader for them through his prayer
and his inspired writings.

The selection for a Psalm Response comes from the Book of Tobit and it too
is similar to the prayer of Ezra. The people and now we pray in
thanksgiving for having been forgiven: “So now consider what God has done
for you and praise him with full voice. Bless the Lord of righteousness and
exalt the king of ages.”

Both prayers make us sense the covenantal renewal with God that we should
have each day. Believers may now be equated with the “remnant” or the poor
of God who depend solely on divine intervention and providence in this
troubled world of ours. God always listens to such prayers and the
covenant is renewed.

Jesus now is commissioning the twelve apostles to do what he does in
ridding people of their demons and healing them. They go forth
enthusiastically to bring the Good News to those who receive them.
Spiritual restoration is taking place among the believers and their
hospitality to the apostles is a sing of their faith in the saving words of
Jesus given to them by the twelve apostles. Their preaching is freely
given and they witness to utter simplicity in their dress and their
behavior. Jesus tells them to keep moving on from village to village
accepting hospitality where it is offered and where it is not offered they
simply move elsewhere. Our own ministries and apostolates can learn much
from the passage offered to us by Luke today. Amen.

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